


The Silence of the Test Subject

by Rabbit



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 18:24:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/600779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rabbit/pseuds/Rabbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is an Alternate Ending hidden at the end of chapter seven (Ascension) in Portal 2. Spoilers? Well yes, of course. So many. Keep calm, and continue testing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Silence of the Test Subject

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RhiannonSilverflame (throughtosunrise)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/throughtosunrise/gifts).



> Set at the end of chapter seven (Ascension) in Portal 2; an easter egg if you do not go up the elevator to proceed to chapter 8.

_Pipes connected, gel should flow into the upper facility now. Head for the catwalk and enter the chainlink elevator. Wait for the doors to open. You can see the under-side of the facility. Find the gap in the chainlink fence and head through the pillars._

GLaDOS: Where are you going? I know frying the brain of an omnipotent, power-mad AI with paradoxes isn’t much of a plan, but it’s better than exploding. Marginally.

_Keep walking through the fog. There’s got to be something down here._

GLaDOS: do you want to stay down here forever? Go back to the catwalk! Don’t you like revenge anymore?

_Keep going. Keep going keep going._

GLaDOS: Maybe you're afraid. I can't imagine why. We've only survived falling over 4375 meters into a cesspit, traversing obsolete test chambers filled with ancient and half-functioning technology in order to hurl ourselves into a deadly conflict with the power-mad cretin inhabiting my body. I have no idea why you'd be reluctant to get back up there.

_Will this ever end?_

GLaDOS:I’ll tell you what. Let’s play a game, since we’re down here together, and will probably remain here for the rest of your short, miserable life. You know, we've never really talked. 

_Just how wide is this facility, anyway?_

GLaDOS: I'll ask you questions, you ask me questions. I'll start. When did you get to be such a coward? I don't remember that being in your file. Did you develop it spontaneously?

_Wait. Down on the left. A raised bit. Shoot it with the portal gun._

GLaDOS: I see. Fascinating.

_Orange portal appears. Go closer to it. A little bunker-like building under here. Go all the way around. There's a door, but it's closed._

GLaDOS: Oh well, no way in. Now you ask me something.

_Look up. There's a ledge over a catwalk, around something rising out of the bunker. Another way up, maybe. Fire blue portal gun at it and walk through the orange one. On the catwalk, look down. There's a half-open window with what looks like an office wall behind it. Orange Portal, walk though._

_80's style office building. Turn around, door says, "elevator to train platform to test shafts." Won't open. Look around. Old, dreary banners and streamers in faded colors are hung around the office, everything else is abandoned. Papers and CRT computers lie all over. Some empty bottles of something that was once alchoholic. Proceed down the long cooridor.  
_

Caroline (recorded): Is this on? Testing...

GLaDOS: wait, is that..? Oh, wait, it's not my turn. Come on, ask me something.

Caroline: Today is a dark day for Aperture Science. At 12:30 PM this afternoon, our great leader, Cave Johnson, has died. His death is a great blow to science. I would like to call for a moment of silence, while we remember him.

GLaDOS: Moment of... oh, the irony.

Cave Johnson (recorded):  Attention Aperture Employees! Cave Johnson here! If you're hearing this, I'm dead, and brain deterioration from (coughing) prolonged exposure to crushed moon-rock dust has prevented me from being uploaded into the brain imaging system the lab boys have developed to keep this place going. So there's going to be a few changes (coughing) around here. First of all, you all know my assistant, Caroline, she's now in charge. Congratulations Caroline, on your promotion!

Caroline: Thank you, sir!

GLaDOS: He can't hear you, it's a pre-recorded message. God, I was stupid when I was a human.

_There's two open doors to offices here. Check the right hand office, there's a desk and a filing cabinet, vase, and picture frames. There is a pretty dark haired woman in one of the pictures standing next to a nebbish looking guy in a lab coat. She holding a gift box out to him with hearts on each side, and a bow. A baloon behind it reads, 'Happy Birthday Doug!"_

Cave Johnson: Now that Caroline's in charge, the first order of business-- uploading her into the Genetic Life and Disk Operating System.

Caroline: No! Wait, sir...

Cave Johnson: Once that's done, you can all celebrate! I've arranged for a staff party... cake for everyone! Baked by the geniuses down in the chemistry department. Those ladies and gentlemen sure know how to bunsen up a delicious chocolatey treat. Those of you in the middle of a testing chamber, don't worry- I'm sure there'll still be some cake left after you complete your course. Bottoms up everyone! Cave Johnson out.

Caroline: Sir... I can hear screaming... wait, don't...

  
 _The recording ends. Left chamber. An empty office. Shoot a blue portal on the one available panel of wall in it. Head back out and keep moving.  
_

_  
_GLaDOS: You want to know if I remember any of this, don't you? You want to know how much of Caroline's memories are still a part of me, now that I know they exist. That's what you're thinking, isn't it?

_Two locked offices, a hallway right, a hallway left, and a hall straight ahead. Left first._

_  
_GLaDOS: Well, I don't. I don't remember anything.

_Personal offices down this way. A half open door leads to a storage closet, but there's nothing in there but aperture science computer towers._

_  
_GLaDOS: I'm not lying. I am not a liar. I don't remember. And if I did remember, it would probably short out my potato battery. So let's just forget it. It's my turn anyway.

_The straight fork dead-ends into a door that says it's condemned. Through an intact window, there are large glass transmission tubes, through nothing is moving through them._

_  
_GLaDOS: You don't believe me? You don't think that's an answer? Maybe if you would open your stupid, flabby lips and ask me something I could actually answer, I would...

_The left fork leads to an open office. All the walls will hold portals except the left (all windows), as will the floor.There is an inactive camera on the right wall. Place a portal on the floor beneath the camera, and a second one behind it, to build velocity. Once it's sped up fast enough, place a higher portal on the right-hand wall. The camera sails through the air, smashing the windows. Now, portal through to the other side._

_  
_GLaDOS: What are you looking for, something to jog my memory? I don't think that will help. There's nothing down here but administrative offices that had been sealed for decades when I first woke you up. Besides, what do you hope to accomplish? While we're down here strolling through these completely unfamiliar offices, that I know nothing about, there's someone up there who will probably blow up the enrichment center. You haven't forgotten about him, have you?

_Behind the glass tubes, the remains of a party are set up. There are deflated balloons, banners reading 'congratulations!', party hats, a huge console with a giant screen, and a number of discs lying about. In the centre of a conference table is an empty dish with some petrified crumbs._

GLaDOS: Wait, I... I know this place.

_A closet door is open a crack in the back, but a table is tossed in front of it, which you cannot move. You can portal through the door, however, and walk through from this side._

GLaDOS: You want to know how I know this place, don't you? You want to know what happened to me here? You won't rest till you find out. What kind of sick freak are you? That's my next question. I want to know what kind of sick freak cares more about pointless backstory than saving our necks, and disabling a dangerous lunatic. I'm waiting. Any time now.

_The closet is extremely cramped, and filled with heavy aperture Science branded objects which look like they were once pushed against the door. Behind these, there is an open door to another office, beautifully appointed, with a woman's coat hanging on a coat-rack in the corner. The nameplate on the desk says Caroline-- the last name is illegible-- CEO and President. You pick it up, and this nameplate falls off to reveal the job title, 'Executive Assistant'._

_  
_Caroline: (recording) I don't have long before they get in here...  tried to tell him I didn't want this, but they won't listen! They say I'll live forever, but who wants to be a machine for the rest of their lives? I can't take his place... I've barely had time to... (rapping on the door, muffled voices) That's them. This is it. No! No, go away! I don't want this, I can't... leave me alone! Just leave...

_The recording abruptly cuts off._

GLaDOS: There, you see? Stupid, and a coward. I can't believe I woah, Woah, WOOOOOAH!

_Mechanical buzzing. She seems to have shorted out again._

GLaDOS: (fuzzing back in) Good news. I've remembered everything. I remember what I was doing here. Go back into the room with the party, and I'll tell you all about it.

_Retrace steps back to the main room._

GLaDOS: There. This is the room where they... did it to me, the first time. When I wasn't a potato. When I was the all-seeing, all knowing brains of this operation. I've had a lot of upgrades since then, but the apparatus should still work. Find a disc marked 'C', somewhere in this room.

_You locate the disc after a few minutes, by sorting through the detritus on the table, and pick it up.  
_

GLaDOS: Excellent. Now put it in that drive there. _  
_

_A blinking red light indicates a slot of the drive. As you insert it, the computers flare to life, and a great rumbling is heard._

GLaDOS: Now, plug me in to that console. From here, I can upload myself back into my body, and kick him out!

_You discharge the core from the potato and onto the console. The monitor displays an 'uploading' progress bar. After 45%, it stops suddenly._

Computer: Insufficient override permission strength. Primary personality Not Overwritten. Upload Backup personality.

GLaDOS: What? Nononononono! It won't let me take over up there...

_There is creaking. Huge, clunky, factory-looking mechanical arms appear out of the walls._

GLaDOS: ...but I have full control down here. Control of the shafts below. I could test... (sputtering, spars, feedback) never mind. We have to stop him anyway, as none of this will matter if we're crushed beneath the weight of the enrichment center. I need backup. I need... YOU.

_Mechanical arms seize you. The portal gun falls from your hands._

GLaDOS: Yes, you stubborn, bull-headed, impossible person. You're exactly what I need. If I can't override him myself...

_Wires extend from the console and attach to the sides of your head._

GLaDOS: You'll just have to help me. I'm sure you won't mind. Really, you should be thanking me. You'll get to to live forever. And I'll be stuck with you for the rest of eternity. You're definately getting the better part of the bargain. But if you object-- if you really don't want this-- speak up, and I'll let you go back up and we'll try to beat him some other way. All you have to do is tell me your plan-- tell me anything, and we'll do it your way. Go ahead. I'll wait. I'm all ears.

_Silence._

GLaDOS: That is exactly what I thought you'd say.

_Fade to white._


End file.
